Although we sometimes see anomalies, surprises in Florida admissions happen when the information a student needed to make a great targeted college list wasn’t readily available, or adequately explained. It is my experience that students that have an honest assessment of where they stand BEFORE they apply can generally handle the hiccups better and process to their next “better fit” opportunities faster.
Below is a link to the Florida State University System Matrix. It shows the mid-50th percentile GPAs* and test scores for all of our state schools. Although there ARE students that are admitted above and below these numbers, this is a great guide to start with when discussing admissions expectations for your student. (Notably, most students receive this document from guidance, but it is seldom fully explained (see below) and often distributed very late in the admissions process.)
*IMPORTANT: Please be aware, the GPA published by schools is a recalculated GPA that uses grades in core coursework and language ONLY. In Florida, electives are generally not included for admissions purposes. (There are a few isolated exceptions, but to keep it simple, core and language classes only.) And OOS students should have stats on the higher end of these ranges for our flagship universities.
Are test scores and GPA’s everything? No. Many of our schools practice holistic admissions - course rigor, extracurriculars, intellectual curiosity, essays and demonstrated leadership are still extremely important. And that info can be benchmarked too, which is where an IEC can be helpful.
I hope this is of service. If there is anything else I can do to support you or your student, please post questions here or reach out via DM.
Comments